, 1887-06-17
A uaArHoueg KEEPERS LEE.
The PerIious Duty of Caring for n lea.
con LiEht-A stormy Night.


The PerIious Duty of Caring for n Dea-
con LlEht-A Stormy Night.
The duty Of a keeper of enc of these
great beacon lights is not arduous, but
s"metimes it is attended with consider
able danger. Owing to the great height
of the tower, and the peculiarly exposed
condition, there Is always the chance of
its being destroyed by n fierce hurricane
Of wind and rain. During a dark, stormy
night in April, 1854, the A1inot's LEDGE
lighthouse, near Boston, was thus de-
stroyed by the combined action of wind,
rain and the heavy sea. The lighthouse
was q skeleton iron structure, situated on
n ledge of rock, which at low water is
entirely bare, bru at high tide several
feet of water covers it. At an unknown
hour of the night the iron posts snapped
in two and the Lighthouse toppled over
into the restless sea-
The keepers house on the iron towers
is usually situated near tho top of the
lighthouse, just under the great revolv-
ing lamp. A strong platform. is con-
structed on the top series Of braces end
an octagonal structure Of wood then
built. perforated on each side by window
holes. This small structure acts ali q
storehouse for the oil and other appera-
trIs connected with the lighthouse and az
a living place for the keeper. 1t is made
~ small as practi, able so as TO offer the
lgISt amount Of rtrisiance to the wind.
The small cupola above this building,
where the great reflector is situated, is
reached by a winding iron staircase. To
keep the lamp in good condition for rer
forming its proper work requires clean.
ing every day. The keeper, in addition
to trimming the wicks and replenisling
the vessel with oil each morning, hrs 10
oil the revolving apparatus and see that
the glass globe and reflector are clean
and clear of smoke. Before darkness
settles over the land the lamp must then
be lighted and the machinery Get in
operation.
If 1t is an exceptionally stormy night
the great Illuminating apparatus must be
constantly watched, lest some accident
should extinguish the light. The glass
globe is, of course, very thick and
strengthened by heavy brass braces; but
even with this %precaution many incidents
ere known where the glass panels have
been blown in by the force of the wind
and hail, and the light extinguished at
once. h experiences Of a keeper on a
dark stormy night are not always agree
able. The wind blowing up from some
rough quarter of the globe, sweeps across
the sea with alarming rapdity, lashing
the water into light foam, and moaning
fitfully about the tall tower. AT u height
of 100 feet from the surface of the sea it
attains a speed equal to that of a small
hurricane. and, when it strikes the glass
globe of the lighthouse, it whistles in ana
out among the iron braces us though it
would tear them from their sockets. If
the wind is accompanied by rain and hail
the wildness of the scene is increased.
The glass is thick and strong enough usu-
ally to resist the force of the frozen drops
of water; but the noise made by the con-
slant pattering of the descending hail on
it is louder than if it were falling upon
ON hard metal or stone. At such a
time it would be a dangerous risk to
venture out OF the platform surround
ing the big light, even though clinging to
the stout iron railing for support. As the
lighthouses are arranged at the present
day, there IL no need of the keeper at
tempting such a feat. as The lamp and all
pertaining to it can be reached from the
inside.-N. Y. Mail and Express.